Gnocchi (shlishkes)

This is a favorite of many cuisines, be it Italian, Jewish or otherwise!

2 pounds whole baking (Russet) potatoes

2 beaten egg yolks

1 1/2 cups flour

Pinch of salt

Cook the potatoes in boiling water until tender enough to be pierced with a fork. Drain and cool slightly. Peel potatoes and mash with a potato masher or a ricer.

Add the flour, egg and a pinch of salt. Mix by hand until you have a nice pliable ball of dough. Do not over-mix.

Prepare a work area and dust it with flour. Take the dough, a piece at a time, and roll it out gently with your hands until you have rolls about 3/4 inches in diameter. It’s important to roll gently with your fingertips while using the lightest pressure to stretch the rope outwards.

Cut the ropes of dough into pieces about one inch long. Using either the tines of a fork or your fingertip, press against each piece of the dough and roll it slightly to form an indentation. As the gnocchi are made, place them on baking pan, lightly dusted with flour or lined with parchment paper. At this point you can freeze the gnocchi ahead of time. Freeze them first in one layer on a tray, then once frozen you can put them into a freezer bag for more easy storage. To cook, just put the frozen gnocchi into the simmering water for the next step.

Bring at least 4 quarts of salted water to a boil in a wide saucepan. Gently drop the gnocchi, a few at a time, into the water. As soon as they rise to the surface, remove them with a slotted spoon, draining well. Arrange on a serving dish or bowl. Continue cooking the gnocchi in the same manner.

As soon as all the gnocchi are ready, serve with pasta sauce or toasted bread crumbs.